Dragon's Embrace

The Chase

Aftermath

Our session started with our adventurer’s being led to meet with the magistrate in his office. Flanked by guards, the feeling of captivity was palpable. As they entered the magistrate and a very well dressed man in a fur cloak were in the middle of a heated discussion. This man was introduced as Lord Kellan Mildstar, the highest authority in Kingsport and the surrounding lands. It was no secret that the Lord thought they were involved in the disappearance of his daughter, and he made no attempt to hide his hostility. Xandril did not take this well, seeing it as a personal slight. He barely managed to maintain civility, nearly insulting the powerful man before them. Shortly following this Lord Kellan left the office, instructing the magistrate to detain the party, because he did not trust them.

After Lord Kellan left, Aldred believing in the adventurer’s innocence, allowed them to obtain supplies and seek out food. This was, of course, under the supervision of one the magistrate’s trusted guard sergeants. The party made thier way to The Hunting Hound, purchasing mead and food. After eating the meal, and Angrim drinking more than his share of the mead, they began conversation concerning the possibility of escape. Managing to avoid the guard hearing them, they decided that escape was not he best course of action. After eating and drinking their fill, the party made their way to a general goods store to procure rations and healing potions. After getting their supplies, the party was headed back The Hunting Hound, when the guard stopped. Gelbrik noticed the ring on the guards finger was glowing faintly. The guard turned to them and said they must head to the keep for the Lord’s daughter had awoken. When the arrived in the keep, a large stone building with grand oaken double doors, they entered the audience chamber.

The chamber was a long hall with carpet running the length of the room flanked by large marble pillars, with a large chair on a raised dais. Near the head of the room was a table with the semi-conscious girl laying on it surrounded by many guards, the magistrate, and the lord himself. There was also a man the party did not recognize, an elderly man with a thin beard and mustache flecked with grey and thinning hair. This man was introduced as Giles Aering, the court wizard. After a short conversation, including an apology from the Lord himself, the lord and his guards carried the sleeping figure out of the room, leaving only a few guards, the magistrate, and the wizard. It was at this time our adventurer’s asked the magistrate about what had been found in the cellar. They were told that they could investigate themselves on the next day, as the city’s own investigation would be completed near mid day. In addition they inquired about any other tasks that needed doing, and were reminded of the robberies in alley’s around town. They also asked about the guards ring, and were informed that it was a ring of Message, allowing the magistrate to communicate with the sergeants of his guard, and had been obtained from the Wizard.

Wanting one of these rings, Xandril approached Giles Aering inquiring about the acquisition of one for himself. He also asked how they managed to awaken the girl and what spell had been used on her. This was revealed to have been a sleep spell, easily dispatched once identified with a use of dispel magic. The party then broached the subject of commissioning a ring similar to that of the magistrate and his guards, and a couple scrolls of dispel magic. After prices were agreed upon the party left and set out to solve the mysteries of the thieves plaguing local alleyways, upon promise of delivery tomorrow.

Heading to the alley they had been warned to avoid previously, Angrim stood watch while Gelbrik and Xandril went in to investigate. Before they even saw their attackers, Gelbrik and Xandrilwere knocked unconscious. The commotion alerted Angrim, who turned to see two hooded and cloaked figures standing over the bodies of his companions. This enraged Angrim, who, shouting a battle cry to his god Torm, charged them weapon drawn. One of the figures, after being urged by the other, took off down the alley and back into the crowds of the street, while the other stayed to face Angrim. After a brief fight, it became clear to the thief that he was no match for the paladin, and he too turned and ran into the crowd. Knowing his short dwarven legs would not match the speed of his quarry, Angrim instead set to task awakening his compatriots. After waking them, the quickly discussed the situation and decided to give chase. They followed a faint trail of blood to a door that seemed to enter into the rear of The Silver Axe. The party prepped to enter, not knowing what to expect. Angrim’s hand went for the door handle….

The Cellar

Our game starts with our heroes Angrim Oakbeard, and Xandril making their way through the cellar of the house they had followed a person of interest into. They push through a few small threats, a swarm of insects and a cultist. Coming into a room filled with strange small reptilian folk and a couple more of the robed men. Also in this room they found Gelbrik a Gnome rogue who was locked in one of the many cages in the scattered throughout.

Battle broke out almost immediately, with Angrim wading into the center of the foes, and Xandril raining magical destruction into the enemy ranks. Seeing his chance Gelbrik starts to pick the lock of the cage he is in, breaking free. Gelbrik’s freedom came not a moment too soon, as he was able to regain his pair of shortswords and jump into the fray. His presence was immediately felt, pressing the tide of the otherwise close battle in a positive direction for the party.

After dispatching their foes, the party searched the room taking any important items and quickly moving on. Scattered resistance was encountered as they moved through the cellars serpentine hallways, which were all dispatched post-haste. Finally they came to a room and were greeted by a thin, gaunt man in dark robes flanked by a retinue of the reptilian creatures they had already faced. Xandril attempted in vain to not only avoid the conflict, but to interrogate the man within. This only served to amuse and anger the robed figure. What followed after, was a heated battle, that took everything our heroes had to give. Despite amazing displays of magical prowess by Xandril, the courageous and stalwart actions of Angrim, and the deftly trained efficiency of Gelbrik’s swordplay, our party still barely survived, even managing to have the robed figure depart through a teleportation circle.

Upon close inspection of the room the party found a cryptic note, written in draconic, a dragonglass dagger, and a large pouch of coins, seemingly taken from the cults victims. The party, wounded and battle weary attempted to head to the exit through a door they believed led in the correct way. What they found was a large room containing a bound young woman, the personal effects of what appeared to be over a dozen people and four more of the reptilian beasts. Angrim, wounded and on his last legs, intelligently and uncharacteristically decided to hang in the rear of the group, only getting involved if there was grave need. With some fancy spell work from Xandril and amazing swordsmanship from Gelbrik the creatures were quickly dispatched.

After their foes had fallen, the party made their way to the unconscious woman to attempt to rescue and wake her to no avail. While she was alive, her state seemed magically induced. Angrim being the strongest picked her up easily and carried her toward the door on the opposite side of the room. The party, exhausted both physically and mentally, managed not to notice a tripwire hidden across the floor in this area. Arrows flew out of the walls, grazing Xandril, but impaling the already seriously injured Angrim and the woman he was holding. The woman while injured, seemed to be no worse off, but mighty Angrim had finally succumbed to his wounds. Xandril rushed to his aid, while Gelbrik searched carefully for anymore tripwires. Xandril managed to stabilize and awaken Angrim, while Gelbrik found two more wires. Knowing where the traps were, and with an awakened Angrim the party made their way to the barred door they believed to lead to their escape. In his hurry to leave Gelbrik didn’t check the door for traps, and as he slid the bar free a blade swung down from the ceiling hitting him, and bringing him dangerously close to death himself.

The door opened up into a hallway our adventurer’s knew was close to the entrance and they proceeded to the ladder to escape this foul cellar. Upon climbing the ladder, they were taken into custody by the local guard, who had been called in to investigate the loud noises that had been made when Angrim broke down the door to the seemingly abandoned house. After a short interrogation, during which it was revealed the woman was the daughter of the local Lord, Aldred Thistle, noticed the sorry state of the party sent them to their inn of choice, accompanied by guards. Blissful rest came to the party shortly after reaching The Hunting Hound, helping them to regain their strength, but in the early hours a loud banging on the door awoke them.

“The magistrate orders your presence!” The guard announced as they were led into the streets.

Tune in for the next session and see what happens to our brave party!!

Kingsport

This beginning session introduced Xandril and Angrim Oakbeard not only to each other but the rest of the world. Both adventurer’s new to the world, on quests of their own, met while traveling with a goods caravan to the city of Kingsport. Traveling with a mismatched group of humans and dwarfs, and a grief-stricken Tiefling, they met each other and even managed to put down a few bandits that attempted to rob the otherwise peaceful caravan.

The bandits got more than they bargained for though, as Angrim Oakbeard‘s mighty warhammer coupled with Xandril’s flaming spells made quick work of them. The bandit leader even tried to escape, after seeing his cronies so quickly dispatched, but not before grievously wounding the caravan’s overseer, Kari Stoutaxe. In his attempt to flee, the bandit leader underestimated the warhammer of Angrim and got no more than a swift death by shattered spine.

Xandril managed to provided the necessary first aid to the caravan’s overseer, saving his life and gaining a friend. The injured dwarf, stubborn as only a dwarf can be, insisted to be allowed to continue to ride in his regular seat rather than lay in the back of a wagon, though our adventurer’s were the ones to actually guide the caravan to the safety of Kingsport’s walls.

Upon reaching the caravan’s destination in the trading district of Kingsport, Kari informed the adventurer’s that he was delaying his trip to Longlake in the north, advising them to go their own way. He parted into the mercantile headquarters with a smile and a grateful nod. Thanking the party once again for saving his life.

Deciding to seek out glory in the city proved an easy task for the party. They had decided not to trust the rumors of the local taverns, and that simple bounty-hunting would not be very fulfilling, so they headed to the offices of the local magistrate. Upon reaching their destination, they found many petitioners and a corpulent clerk that seemed more interested in filling his own pockets than moving things along. After bribing him with the cheap jewelry they had taken from the bandit leader, they were told to wait for the magistrate to arrive and that they would be in the front of the queue to see him.

After a short wait the magistrate returned in a huff, asking the clerk for the first of those waiting to see him. The party was signaled to enter his office, a sparsely decorated room, funished with little more than a desk, a plain chair, stacks of scrolls, some maps of the local area, and a small military service medal. The magistrate introduced himself as Aldred Thistle and asks them to state their reason for being there, quickly, as he is a busy man.

The party asked about an alley they had been warned to avoid by a grateful street urchin they had been generous to. They were informed about what appeared to be a ring of thieves and muggers that operated in many of the alleys in the area, going so far as to knock out and rob guards that had been put in place to protect the troubled areas. They were also informed about a series of disappearances in the poorest district of the town, centering around a certain area near The Silver Axe. When asked why the city guard wasn’t doing more, Aldred informed them that the daughter of the Lord of Kingsport was “missing” and that most of the guard from the poor areas had been re-tasked to finding her. The party noted he said all of this with a note of obvious disbelief and derision, as it had “happened many times before” and that she frequently “disappeared seeking the touch of yet another man.”

Deciding to search for the cause of the missing people, they headed towards the area that Aldred had told them the people had been disappearing from. Once they reached the designated area, they spotted a dingy bar by the name of The Silver Axe. Upon entering the tavern, they found it to be a filthy rundown establishment. Talking with the purveyor, a chubby blond female dwarf, by the name of Alin, they discovered alot of these disappearances were centered around one specific block, and specifically one ally. The party went to investigate this alley, and noticed a homeless person living there, almost completely disguised by the trash he called his home. This unfortunate and enigmatic man informed them that he had seen a man in a black cloak with a red stripe take a young woman.

Upon further investigation the party came to know about an abandoned house, that people wearing similar cloaks had been seen entering or exiting. The party waited in a squatter’s den across the street and waited. Around mid night they spotted a man in a black cloak with a red stripe walk down the street and enter the house. Seeking to follow him they found the door to be of solid make, and locked. After many attempts to open the door stealthily, Angrim grew tired of waiting and brandishing his warhammer, busted the door off of its hinges with a noise reminiscent of thunder. They entered the house and found an entrance to a cellar complex underneath a rug. Braving the unknown they delved into the cellar. TUNE IN TUESDAY